Communications system and control unit suitable therefor

ABSTRACT

A communication system, in particular a mobile communication system that can to be carried by a user without using hands, which includes a control unit as well as one or more signal receiving modules and signal emitting modules that each have a radio device interface. The control unit includes a registration device to automatically register, or respectively deregister, modules dynamically added to, or respectively removed from, the communication system by the user. Data can be received in the control unit from the modules by the radio device interface, or respectively transmitted selectively to the modules by the radio device interface, it being possible to configure from which signal receiving modules data is supposed to be conducted to which signal emitting modules. The control unit also includes configurable functional units that process data before their transmission to a signal emitting module, as well as a command unit that examines data from signal receiving modules for commands contained therein, in particular user commands, and executes predefined function blocks in accordance with a recognized command.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a communication system and a controlunit suitable therefor. In particular the present invention relates to acommunication system and a control unit suitable therefor which are ableto be carried by the user without using his hands, the communicationsystem comprising one or more signal receiving modules, which eachreceive signals from the vicinity of the communication system andconvert them into electrical, or respectively optical signals and/ordigital data, and the communication system comprising one or more signalemitting modules which are each able to convert electrical, orrespectively optical signals and/or digital data into signals which areperceived by the user through his sense organs or are emitted into thesurroundings of the communication system.

Communication systems which are able to be carried by a user, withoutusing his hands, are already available. There are, for example,hand-free portable communication systems comprising a mobile radiotelephone removably attached to a carrying belt and connectible via acable interface to a combined headphone/microphone set. In this exampleof an available communication system, the microphone and the radioreceiver of the mobile radio telephone represent signal receivingmodules that receive acoustical signals, or respectively radio signals,from the surroundings of the communication system, while the headphonesand the radio transmitter of the mobile radio telephone represent signalemitting modules which emit acoustical signals to the sense organs ofthe user, or respectively radio signals to the surroundings of thecommunication system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Described in the patent application DE 197 55 264 A1 is a portablecomputer system able to be controlled by the user through spokenlanguage and/or body movements. The computer system according to DE 19755 264 A1 comprises a helmet-mounted display device which is connectedvia a fiber optics cable to a processing computer and/or to otheractuation and signal emitting components. According to the teachingdisclosed in DE 197 55 264 A1, a remotely located computer withhelmet-oriented components can be connected via a radio link. Thelinking described in DE 197 55 264 A1 of components of the computersystem by means of fiber optics cable(s) has the advantage that it isparticularly secure with respect to magnetic and electrostaticinterference. Furthermore cable connections for the linking of thesystem components carried by the user is often perceived by users asuncomfortable or even annoying, for example because cables can gettangled up in clothing or other objects. Several cables are needed forconnection of a plurality of components, which further increases thecited drawback.

Described in the patent application EP 767 417 A1 is a hands-freeportable and hands-free operable computer system, which can becontrolled by the user through spoken language, brain waves, eye and/orbody movements. The computer system according to EP 767 417 A1 consistsessentially of a headset and a local computer attached to a carryingbelt, which computer is connected, without cables, to the headset via awireless interface, in particular an infrared interface. Described inthe patent application EP 767 417 A1is that, for communication with aremotely located computer, connections between the local computer andthe remote computer can be achieved by means of radio transceiver orcellular mobile radio telephone. The connection described in EP 767 417A1between the headset and the local computer using scattered infraredlight has the advantage of not having the drawbacks of cable-orientedconnections and of being rather secure with respect to unauthorizedattempts to listen in remotely. On the other hand, infrared interfaceshave the disadvantage that they require an unobstructed transmissionfield between the communication partners, so that the local computercannot be worn under clothing impermeable to light, for instance, whichis once again perceived by users as a restrictive drawback.

In the documents XP-000784002, Haartsen J. et al.: “Bluetooth: Vision,Goals and Architecture,” Mobile Computing and Communications Review, US,ACM, New York, volume 2, number 4, 1998, pages 38 to 45, andXP-000783249, Haartsen J.: “Bluetooth—The universal radio interface forad hoc, wireless connectivity”, Ericsson Review, SE, Ericsson,Stockholm, number 3, 1998, pages 110 to 117, the so-called Bluetoothradio interface is described. The Bluetooth radio interface makes itpossible to interconnect portable electronic devices such as laptopcomputers, mobile radio telephones, headphones/speech accessories orcomputer mouses over short distances for wireless data communication. Bymeans of the Bluetooth technology, the devices are automatically anddynamically interconnected when they are located within their mutualrange. By means of Bluetooth technology, up to maximally eight devices,a master and seven slaves can be interconnected in a so-called Piconet.In Bluetooth a device can belong to a plurality of Piconets at the sametime in the role of a slave, but be active in only one Piconet at aparticular point in time.

In the document XP-002141075, “Jini Technology and Emerging NetworkTechnologies,” Sun Microsystems, online(http://www.sun.com.jini/whitepapers/technologies.pdf) 1999, pages 1 to3, the Jini technology based on Java is described, which makes possiblethe development of service applications between two electronic devicessuch as Personal Data Assistants (PDA), television devices, digitalcameras, fax machines or mobile radio telephones via network protocolssuch as Bluetooth (Java and Jini are registered trademarks of thecompany Sun Microsystems).

It is an object of this invention to propose a new and better portable,hands-free communication system and a portable, hands-free control unitsuitable therefor, which make possible in particular a flexibleconfiguration of signal receiving modules and signal emitting modules ascomponents of the communication system as well as a cable-freeconnection of these components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved according to the invention through the elementsof the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments followmoreover from the dependent claims and from the description.

These goals are achieved through the present invention in that signalreceiving modules of the hands-free portable communication system whicheach receive signals from the surroundings of the communication systemand convert them into electrical and/or optical signals and/or intodigital data, and signal emitting modules of the communication systemwhich each convert electrical and/or optical signals and/or digital datainto signals, able to be perceived by the user via his sense organs oremitted into the surroundings of the communication system, each have aradio device interface, and the communication system comprises at leastone control unit with at least one radio device interface, which controlunit is set up such that data from the said modules, i.e. from thesignal receiving modules and the signal emitting modules, is able to bereceived in the control unit via the radio device interface, data fromthe control unit is able to be transmitted to the said modules via theradio device interface in a selective way, and said modules are able tobe added to the communication system and removed from the communicationsystem in a dynamic way. To achieve the aforementioned feature, thecontrol unit comprises register means to register, or respectivelyunregister, automatically said modules which are added to, orrespectively removed from, the communication system dynamically by theuser. The advantage of the connection of signal receiving modules andsignal emitting modules via a radio device interface with a control unitcomprising automatic registration means for dynamic registration of saidmodules is that these components (modules and control unit) are able tobe combined contactlessly, without use of cables and without neededunobstructed optical contact, into a flexibly configurable communicationsystem, this communication system also being in particular mobile, andable to be used in a mobile way. The flexibility consists thereby inthat modules, in particular mobile and portable modules, each have aradio device interface, are able to be added to, or respectively removedfrom, the communication system dynamically by the user without furthereffort or expenditure, depending upon which functionality of thecommunication system the user desires at the particular point in time,or respectively which modules the user has available. Components(modules and control unit) that are not integrated into a headset can becarried by the user in carrying belts suitable therefor, for example,over or under clothing or in one or more existing pockets in theclothing and can be used in particular in a mobile way, special designs,for instance a control unit in the form of a wristwatch, or signalreceiving modules to be carried on predefined parts of the body, whichregister e.g. bodily movements/positions, are also possible, however.The selective transmission of data by the control unit via the radiodevice interface to the said modules facilitates data being able to betransmitted in a targeted way to a specific module, to a group ofspecific modules or to all modules of the communication system.

Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of possible signalreceiving modules should be video sensors for receiving light signals,radio receivers for receiving radio signals, for instance radio signalsof mobile radio networks, in particular GSM and/or UMTS networks, and/orof broadcast systems, in particular DAB and/or DVB systems, infraredreceivers for receiving infrared signals, microphones for receivingacoustical signals, pressure sensors for receiving mechanical pressure,eye position determining units for determining the current direction ofview of at least one eye of the user and body part position determiningunits for determining the current position of parts of the body of theuser.

Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of possible signalemitting modules should be display units for visible reproduction ofinformation for the user, electro-acoustical converters for reproductionof information in audible form for the user, vibration units forindicating predefined events for the user by means of mechanicalvibrations, radio transmitters, for instance radio transmitters forcommunication via mobile radio networks, in particular GSM and/or UMTSnetworks, and infrared transmitters.

It should also be stated here that certain signal receiving modules andsignal emitting modules can be combined, for instance a microphone,headphones and a display unit, or a display unit and an eye positiondetermining unit, or a radio transmitter and a radio receiver, or avideo sensor and a display unit, also in a joint device configuration,e.g. in a headset, it being possible to provide for a common radiodevice interface and/or a common energy storage unit in the deviceconfiguration, for example.

According to the invention the control unit comprises means, for examplea processor and a memory for programs and data, with program unitexecutable on the processor stored therein, of forwarding data, receivedby the control unit from a particular signal receiving module, to asignal emitting module assigned to the particular signal receivingmodule, the control unit being set up such that selection of at leastcertain signal receiving modules and the assigning of at least certainsignal emitting modules to certain signal receiving modules can beconfigured by the user. The advantage of user-determinable assignment ofsignal receiving modules to signal emitting modules and the forwardingof data, which have been received, for example, by the signal receivingmodule in accordance with this configuration via the radio deviceinterface is that separate modules can be interconnected forco-operation in a flexible way by the user (or according to storedpreferred values). Thus data received by a signal receiving module, forinstance a radio receiver of a mobile radio telephone, can be forwardedvia the radio device interface and the control unit contactlessly to asignal emitting module, for example, depending upon the type of data,audio data to headphones and/or textual data to a display unit.

In a preferred embodiment variant, the control unit comprises functionalunits for processing data before their transmission to a signal emittingmodule, the activation, deactivation and/or way of functioning of atleast certain functional units being able to be configured by the user.The processing of data by functional units prior to forwarding to asignal emitting modules makes possible almost unlimited possibilities,in particular modules being able to be interconnected for co-operationrelating to different data types or respectively signal types.

Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of possible functionalunits should be speech synthesis units for generating synthetic speechfrom textual data, speech recognition units for recognizing spoken text,image processing units for recognition of picture objects, user-specificdata filters, signal frequency filters and/or signal frequencytransformation units which shift the frequency spectrum of signals, orrespectively of data corresponding to these signals.

In a preferred embodiment variant, the control unit comprises a commandunit in order to recognize data which are received by the control unitfrom the signal receiving module, to recognize them as commands and toinitiate the execution of predefined function blocks in accordance witha recognized command, the control unit being set up such that signalreceiving modules whose data is supposed to be examined by the commandunit for commands contained therein are definable by the user. Theadvantage of the command unit which analyzes the data of signalreceiving modules and can recognize commands contained therein, inparticular user commands, is that, depending upon the signal receivingmodules available, different (user-) interfaces can be made accessible,suitable signal receiving modules which the user wants to use for entryof commands being able to be selected by the user. For example, by meansof a speech recognition module, the command unit can recognize commandswhich are spoken into a microphone, or the command unit can recognizecommands on the basis of current directions of view which have beenreceived in the control unit from an eye position determining unit, orthe command unit can recognize commands which are entered by a signalreceiving module manually by means of operating elements, or the commandunit can recognize commands on the basis of current positions ofparticular parts of the body of the user which are received in thecontrol unit from a body part position determining unit.

In an embodiment variant, one of the functional blocks is designed insuch a way that a recognized command is forwarded to external unitsoutside the communication system via the radio device interface and/orvia an infrared interface, the communication system being able to beused also outside the communication system, for instance for control ofcorrespondingly equipped external units.

In an embodiment variant, the communication system comprises a removablestorage unit, for example a chipcard, in which module parameters arestored, which influence the operation of individual said modules, and/orconfiguration parameters, which determine the interaction between saidmodules and/or identify signal receiving modules whose data is supposedto be examined by the command unit for commands contained therein. Thesemodule parameters and configuration parameters can be stored asalternatives or in addition also in a permanent data store of thecommunication system, in particular in the control unit. The removablestorage unit can be furthermore provided with means for unambiguous useridentification, for example the removable memory unit can be designed asan identification unit with an unambiguous user identification, inparticular as SIM card (Subscriber Identification Module). Theidentification unit can be a component of a mobile radio telephone, forexample, which, as a combined signal receiving and signal emittingmodule, is connected to the control unit via the radio device interface,or the identification unit can be a component of the control unit. Theadvantage of the identification unit is that it makes possibleconfiguration and use of the portable communication system as a personalcommunication system, without using one's hands, user-specificparameters, in particular module parameters, which influence theoperation of individual said modules, and/or configuration parameters,which determine the interaction between two or more said modules, beingstored in the identification unit.

In an embodiment variant, at least certain of the said modules datastores for storing the above-mentioned module parameters, whichinfluence the operation of the respective module, these data storesbeing accessible to the control unit in a secure way via the radiodevice interface, so that module parameters cannot be set by other,external radio units outside the communication system by accident or inan unauthorized way. The module parameters can be entered, for example,by the user via a user interface made available therefor, or can bereceived from a suitable external service unit outside the communicationsystem by means of a radio receiver, for instance via a mobile radionetwork, and transmitted from the control unit to the respective module.

In an embodiment variant, the above-mentioned video sensor comprises atleast one microelectromechanical (MEM) scanner for registering lightsignals. The advantage of microelectromechanical scanners is, amongother things, that they can also be used for direct projection of lightsignals onto the retina. Thus the above-mentioned display unitcomprises, in an embodiment variant, a virtual retinal display unit,based on at least one microelectromechanical scanner, which projectslights signals directly on the retina of the user.

In an embodiment variant, the communication system comprises at leastone signal transformation module in which signal transformation module asignal receiving module and a signal emitting module are linked togethervia a signal processing unit, the signal processing unit processingelectrical and/or optical signals from the aforementioned signalreceiving unit based on module parameters of the signal transformationmodule and forwarding them to the aforementioned signal emitting module.Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of signaltransformation modules and their module parameters should be hearingaids and their user-specific hearing parameters as well as specialseeing aids, for example night vision devices which transform lightsignals from the infrared range into visible light signals and theiruser-specific seeing parameters.

It should be mentioned here that, besides the communication systemaccording to the invention, the present invention also relates to acontrol unit for achieving this communication system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in thefollowing with reference to examples. The examples of the embodiment areillustrated by the following single attached figure:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram in which a communication system is shownschematically with a control unit, with signal receiving and signalemitting modules as well as external units outside the communicationsystem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 refers to a mobile and hands-freeportable communication system comprising a control unit 2 as well as aplurality of signal receiving modules 3, 4, 51, 61, 65, 71, 81, 82, 83,84 and a plurality of signal emitting modules 52, 62, 72, 91, 92, 93.Designated as signal receiving modules 3, 4, 51, 61, 65, 71, 81, 82, 83,84 are modules which each receive signals from the surroundings of thecommunication system 1 and convert them into electrical and/or opticalsignals and/or digital data. Designated as signal emitting modules 52,62, 72, 91, 92, 93 are modules which each convert electrical and/oroptical signals and/or digital data into signals perceivable by the userthrough his organs of sense or able to be emitted into the surroundingsof the communication system 1. In the following text the term modulewill be used as an overall, comprehensive designation for signalreceiving modules and signal emitting modules.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, data can be exchanged between the modules 3,4, 51, 61, 65, 71, 81, 82, 83, 84, 52, 62, 72, 91, 92, 93 and thecontrol unit 2 via a contactless radio device interface 21. Although thedata exchange can take place in principle bidirectionally, it isabsolutely possible to design certain of the modules for aunidirectional data exchange only, for example simply equipped signalemitting modules can be designed only with just a radio receiver forreceiving data from the control unit 2 via the radio device interface21, or simply equipped signal receiving modules can be designed withjust a radio transmitter for transmission of data to the control unit 2via the radio device interface 21. Signal receiving modules and signalemitting modules can also be combined into a common device, for exampleradio receivers 51 and radio transmitters 52 for mobile radio networks54, for instance a GSM or UMTS network or another, e.g. satellite-based,mobile radio network, into a mobile radio device 5, in particular amobile radio telephone. Signal receiving modules and signal emittingmodules which are combined into a joint device can have a common radiodevice interface 21 or a common power supply device. Feed units forsignal receiving and signal emitting modules comprise, for instance,conventional batteries and/or solar cells, and can be put into the readystate selectively from a switched-on energy-saving ready state, orrespectively from the switched-on state, by the control unit 2 withpredefined commands via the radio device interface 21, for instance.Although this is not shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 2 can also bedesigned such that certain of the signal receiving and/or signalemitting modules are integrated into the control unit 2 such that theradio device interface 21 is superfluous for these direct integratedmodules.

The radio device interface 21 is preferably a standardized radio deviceinterface, for example a high-frequency radio interface, in particular aso-called Bluetooth interface, which e.g. operates at 2.4 GHz and wasdescribed at the time of filing of this application on the Internet onpage www.bluetooth.com, for example. The radio device interface 21 shownsymbolically in FIG. 1 (as well as also the infrared interface 25) eachcomprise the necessary hardware and software components for achievingthe various levels for the respective radio device interface (orrespectively infrared interface) according to the OSI reference module(Open Systems Interconnection) specified by the ISO (InternationalStandards Organization). Depending upon the type and/or transmittingcapacity of the respective radio device interface it can also beadvantageous to design the control unit with a plurality of radio deviceinterfaces, for instance separate radio device interfaces for separateleft and right channels of particular signal emitting modules, forexample display units for the left and right eye of the user orelectro-acoustical converters for the left and right ear of the user.

A user, who is equipped with a control unit 2, can flexibly configurehis personal communication system 1 in that he adds devices, eachcomprising one or more signal receiving and/or signal emitting modules,dynamically to the communication system 1, or respectively removes themfrom the communication system 1. The hands-free portable control unit 2is carried by the user on his body, for instance in a carrying belt, ina pocket of his clothing or with suitable fastening means to a part ofthe body, for instance on the wrist in the form of a wristwatch. Anadditional module is added to the communication system 1 in that it iscarried by the user, as described for the control unit 2, and in thatthe registration unit 22 is registered by registration means of thecontrol unit 2. The control unit 2 comprises, depending upon theembodiment, at least one processor and a memory, accessible to thisprocessor, for storing data and program units which are necessary forexecution of the different functions of the control unit 2. Functionalunits and blocks, which are achieved as program units, can also beachieved, as a rule, through hardware. As an alternative to theembodiment of the control unit 2 as self-sufficient device with housing,power supply and, if applicable, with own operating elements and displayunit, the control unit 2 can also be built into other devices, inparticular into other mobile devices, for instance into a mobile radiotelephone.

The registration unit 22 is, for example, a programmed unit which isstored in a memory of the control unit 2 and is executed on a processorof the control unit 2. In particular modules, which have a bidirectionalradio device interface 21, can be registered by the control unit 2automatically. The registration process of the registration unit 22 canbe initiated by the user, for example through a command from the user,automatically when switching on the control unit 2 and/or periodicallythrough the registration unit 22. If necessary, the registration unit 22can also make use of services and/or information of the radio deviceinterface 21 to verify and/or register the presence of signal receivingand/or signal emitting modules. With suitable messages, which aretransmitted by the control unit 2 via the radio device interface 21,modules can be asked to identify themselves via the radio deviceinterface 21. Already registered modules can be asked by the controlunit 2 via the radio device interface 21 to confirm their presence; thiscan be achieved, for example, when switching on the control unit and/orperiodically and/or module specifically. The registration process, inanother embodiment variant, can also be initiated by the modules in thatthese report their presence to the control unit 2 via the radio deviceinterface, without being asked to, for instance upon switching on therespective module and/or periodically. To prevent an erroneousregistration of modules not carried by the user, it can be provided forthat the registration has to be confirmed by the user. The dialoguebetween the user and the control unit 2, in particular for basicoperations, such as the registration of additional modules, can becarried out e.g. by means of simple operating elements (not shown), forexample press buttons, and a simple display (not shown), for instance anLCD display, of the control unit 2. As a rule, the dialogue between theuser and the control unit 2 can also be carried out via suitable signalreceiving and signal emitting modules, however, as will be explainedlater in connection with the command unit 24 of the control unit 2.

The modules of the communication system 1 are registered in a moduletable 231 by the registration unit 22. Depending upon the radio deviceinterface 21 used, a temporary module identification, unambiguous withinthe communication system 1 is registered and/or a permanent unambiguousmodule identification, for instance an unambiguous device number.Further module-specific data can also be transmitted to the registrationunit 22 during registration and entered in the module table 231.Module-specific data for common module types can already be stored inthe control unit, and determined by the registration unit 22 on thebasis of a module type received from a module and entered in the moduletable 231 for the respective module. Module-specific data can also beentered by the user and registered in the module table 231 by theregistration unit 22. Cited here, in an non-exhaustive way, as examplesof module-specific data should be the functional type(s) of the module,supported data types, file formats and compression method of the moduleas well as configurable parameters of the module, it being possible toinfluence the operation of the respective module through theconfigurable module parameter. Status information for the module of thecommunication system 1 can also be administered by the control unit 2 inthe module table 231.

Data which are received in the control unit 2 via the radio deviceinterface 21, via the infrared interface 25 or from signal receivingmodules integrated into the control unit 2, for example theabove-mentioned operating elements (not shown) or the infraredtransmitter/receiver 25, are conducted to a routing unit 26. The routingunit 26 forwards directly to the registration unit 22, for furtherprocessing, register reports, unrequested and/or requested by thecontrol unit, which are recognizable e.g. on the basis of a special dataheader. Data received from signal receiving modules are handled by therouting unit 26 according to indications in the configuration table 232of the control unit 2.

The configuration table 232 contains configuration parameters whichdetermine in particular the interaction between the registered modulesof the communication system 1 and can be set by the user. By means ofthe configuration parameters in the configuration table 232, the flow ofsignals, or respectively the flow of data corresponding to thesesignals, which are received from the signal receiving modules andtransmitted to the control unit 2, in particular to suitable signalemitting modules, can be configured flexibly by the user. Moreoverfunctional units 270-275 can be specified by the user in which the datacorresponding to the signals are processed before they are conductedfrom the control unit 2 to the specified signal emitting module(s). Theuser can also specify function parameters moreover which determine theway of functioning of the functional unit(s). The function parameterscan either be stored directly in the configuration table 232, or theconfiguration table 232 can also contain just a mere pointer to thefunction parameters stored in a separate table. Essentially theconfiguration table 232 contains an identification of the data/signalsource (signal receiving module), one or more identifications ofdata/signal sink (in particular signal emitting modules), one or moreidentifications of functional units 270-275 as well as functionalparameters relating thereto.

The user can also specify the above-mentioned command unit 24 as specialdata/signal sink in the configuration table 232, whereby in this casetoo functional units 270-275 as well as functional parameters relatedthereto can be specified so that data can be processed in the specifiedfunctional units based on the specified functional parameters prior tobeing transmitted to the command unit 24.

The command unit 24 examines data which have been received by thecontrol unit 2 from signal receiving modules and have been conductedfrom the routing unit 26 to the command unit 24 according to theconfiguration table 232 as to whether these data contain commands, inparticular user commands. If the command unit 24 recognizes such acommand, it initiates the execution of a function block 241-242 assignedto this command. The function blocks 241-242 as well as their assignmentto commands can also be designed in a configurable way, for examplememory units with predefined function blocks 241-242 and assignments tocommands can be acquired by the user and be introduced into the controlunit or loaded, or macro-programming tools suitable therefor can be madeavailable to the user.

The user can also specify data stores as further special data/signalsink in the configuration table 232 when the data received from a signalreceiving module are supposed to be saved.

Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of functional units270-275 should be a speech synthesis unit 270 for generating syntheticspeech from textual data, a speech recognition unit 271 for recognizingspoken text, in digital form, an image processing unit 272 forrecognizing picture objects for digital image data, data filters 273 forfiltering digital data values, for example according to predefined userprofiles, signal frequency filters 274, in particular digital filters,and/or signal frequency transformation units 275. The functional units270-275 are designed, for example, as program units which are stored inthe control unit and are executed on a processor of the control unit 2,in particular a signal processing processor.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the configuration table 232 and the module table231 can be stored on a removable memory unit 23, for example a chipcard.The removable memory unit can also be provided with means forunambiguous user identification, for instance the removable memory unitcan be designed as an identification unit with an unambiguous useridentification, for example as an SIM card (Subscriber IdentificationModule), which can also be used for identification of the user in mobileradio networks. The configuration table 232 and the module table 231 canalso be stored in a fixed-installed memory in the control unit, however,and be loaded from an SIM card 53 of a mobile radio device 5, forinstance a mobile radio telephone, via the radio device interface 21 inthe control unit 2. Different sets of predefined configuration tables232 and module tables 231 can also be loaded into the control unit 2from a service unit 55, via a mobile radio network 54, a mobile radiodevice 5 and the device radio interface 21. The user can also insertvarious memory units 23 with different configuration tables 232 andmodule tables 231 directly into the control unit 2.

Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of possible signalreceiving modules should be video sensors 61, 84 for receiving lightsignals, radio receivers 3, 4, 51 for receiving radio signals, forinstance a radio receiver 51 for receiving radio signals of mobile radionetworks 54, in particular GSM and/or UMTS networks, and/or radiosignals, in particular radio signals with digital program-accompanyingdata, of broadcast systems, for example a DAB-radio receiver 3 (DigitalAudio Broadcasting) for receiving radio signals form a DAB transmitter34 and/or a DVB radio receiver 4 (Digital Video Broadcasting) forreceiving radio signals from a DVB radio transmitter 44, infraredreceiver 25 for receiving infrared signals, microphones 71, 83 forreceiving acoustical signals, pressure sensors 82 for receivingmechanical pressure, eye position determining units 65 for determiningthe current direction of view of at least one eye of the user and bodyposition determining units 81 for determining the current position ofbody parts of the user. Indicated here as further examples of signalreceiving modules should also be, for instance, position determiningmodules, e.g. position determining modules based on the GlobalPositioning System (GPS) or on a terrestrial positioning system (TPS),which position determining modules receive signals from the surroundingsof the communication system1 and determine therefrom positionindications which are transmitted e.g. to the control unit 2. If thecommunication system 1 is not supposed to be used just in a mobile way,signal receiving modules can also be employed which are connected tofixed networks, for example the public switched telephone network or anISDN network via interfaces having contacts or contactless interfaces,or to fixed-installed devices.

Cited here, in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of possible signalemitting modules should be display units 62, 93 for visible reproductionof information for the user, electro-acoustical converters 72, 92 forreproduction of information in audible form for the user, vibrationunits 91 for indicating predefined events for the user by means ofmechanical vibrations, radio transmitters 52, for instance radiotransmitters for communication via mobile radio networks 54, inparticular GSM- and/or UMTS networks, radio device interfaces, forexample Bluetooth interfaces, and infrared transmitters 25.

To illustrate the application possibilities of the configuration table232, possible examples are represented in Table 1 based on theabove-mentioned examples of signal receiving modules, signal emittingmodules and functional units.

The entry designated by a) in Table 1 illustrates the configuration ofthe communication system 1 for the entry of speech-controlled commandsvia a microphone 83.

The entry designated by b) in Table 1 illustrates the configuration ofthe communication system 1 for the entry of commands by means of eyepositions, which are captured by the eye position determining unit 65,current eye positions being compared in the command unit 24 withpredefined eye positions.

The entry designated by c) in Table 1 illustrates the configuration ofthe communication system 1 for the entry of commands by means of bodilymovements which are captured by the body position determining unit 81.Cited here as examples of body position determining units 81 should bein particular body position determining units for fingers, hands, legs,arms and head, which are known, for example, from the various areas ofapplication of virtual reality.

TABLE 1 Signal/Data Functional Function Signal/Data Source UnitParameter Sink . . . a) microphone speech recogni- user-specific command. . . 83 tion unit 271 speech unit 24 parameter b) eye position command. . . determining unit 24 unit 65 c) body posi- command . . . tiondeter- unit 24 mining unit 81 d) DAB-radio- data filter 273 user profileelectro- . . . receiver 3 acoustical converter 92 e) DVB-radio- datafilter 273 user profile display . . . receiver 4 unit 93 f) Video sensorpicture processing picture object electro- . . . 84 unit 272 listacoustical speech synthesis converter 92 unit 270 g) Video sensor signalfrequency transformation display unit . . . transformation parameter 93unit 275

The entry designated by d) in Table 1 illustrates the forwarding ofradio programs, received by the DAB radio receiver 3, to theelectro-acoustical converter 92, for instance headphones,program-accompanying data being filtered through the data filter 273,for instance according to user-specific areas of interest, specified ina user profile.

The entry designated by e) in Table 1 illustrates the forwarding ofvideo programs, received by the DVB radio receiver 4, to the displayunit 93, for instance a LCD display or a virtual retinal display unit,program-accompanying data being filtered through the data filter 273,for instance according to user-specific areas of interest, specified ina user profile.

The entry designated by f) in Table 1 illustrates the configuration ofthe communication system 1 as a seeing aid through the processing ofimage data, received by the video sensor 84, in the image processingunit 272 (which generates, for example, designations in text form forrecognized picture objects) and the further processing of generated textdata in the speech synthesis unit 270, which generates synthetic speechsignals which are forwarded to the electro-acoustical converter 92.

The entry designated by g) in Table 1 illustrates the configuration ofthe communication system 1 as a seeing aid through the processing ofimage data, received by the video sensor 84, in the signal frequencytransformation unit 275, in accordance with transformation parameters,corresponding, for instance, to the transformation of infrared lightinto light signals visible to the user, and the reproduction of thetransformed image data to the display unit 93.

Table 1 illustrates only a small number of possible configurations whichare possible in the communication system 1 according to the invention.Specific configurations, which are defined in the configuration table232, can be activated e.g. via the command unit in that, for instance,one of the function blocks 241-242 is designed in such a way that itactivates an entry indicated in a command (e.g. command activation-d),which is useful particularly if the configuration table 232 comprises amultiplicity of entries which in part contradict one another (otherwise,in the case of contradictory entries, the first of the contradictoryentries is activated by default, for instance).

Through corresponding entries in the configuration table 232 and/orcorresponding function blocks 241-242, data, in particular commands, canalso be transmitted by the control unit 2 to external (not registered)units 28, 29 outside the communication system 1, or respectively datareceived from these external units 28, 29 and e.g. displayed to theuser. It can also be provided for that external units 28, 29 areregistered at least temporarily in the control unit 2. The control unit2 of the communication system 1 thus makes possible the interaction withexternal units 28, 29, for example household appliances, entertainmentdevices, automatic banking machines, access control installations,and/or automatic sales devices as well as other user-controllabledevices, for example transport devices such as wheelchairs orautomobiles which thus can be operated by the user, for examplelanguage-controlled, via the radio device interface 21 or the infraredinterface 25.

In the communication system 1, signal receiving modules and signalemitting modules, comprising data stores 31, 41, 64, 74 (plus datastores on the identification unit 53) with module-specific parameters,which module parameters determine the operation of he respective module,are configured by the control unit 2, in that such module parameters aretransmitted by the control unit 2 via the radio device interface 21 torespective modules (the module parameters can also be read in these datastores by the control unit 2). The transmission preferably takes placein a secured way so that the module parameters cannot be changed by anexternal transmitter in an unauthorized way or by accident. Cited here,in a non-exhaustive way, as examples of such module parameters should beuser-specific hearing parameters for hearing aids 7, user-specific sightparameters for viewing devices 6, user-specific data on theidentification unit 53, or user profiles for filteringprogram-accompanying data in the broadcast receivers 3, 4.

One or more signal receiving modules and one or more signal emittingmodules can be connected in a so-called signal transformation module viaa signal processing unit, the signal processing unit processingelectrical and/or optical signals from the aforementioned signalreceiving module, for example on the basis of module parameters storedin the signal transformation module, and forwarding them to theaforementioned signal emitting module. Cited here, in a non-exhaustiveway, as examples of signal transformation modules should be theabove-mentioned hearing aid 7 as well as the above-mentioned viewingdevice 6.

The viewing device 6 comprises a virtual retinal display unit 62, whichmakes pictures visible to the user of the viewing device 6, in that itprojects corresponding picture signals onto the retina of the eye of theuser. The picture data for the pictures are taken by suitable videosensors 61, for example by a video camera or by suitable opticalelements 61 using the virtual retinal display device 62 as recordingpicture scanner, and project the picture data corresponding to the imagesignals onto the retina through the virtual retinal display unit 62. Theuse of microelectromechanical (MEM) elements, in particularmicroelectromechanical scanners with a biaxial mirror, for theprojection of picture signals in a direct retinal display unit and/orfor receiving of light reflected or emitted by objects is described, forexample, in the patent application WO 98/13720. It should be mentionedhere that it is absolutely possible to alter the received picture datain a signal processing unit 63 with suitable picture processing means,for example based on user-specific sight parameters in the data store64, before they are made visible to the user, for example contours canbe emphasized, contrasts heightened or other picture processing carriedout, for example a signal frequency transformation corresponding totransformation of infrared light into light visible to the user. Thecomponents of the viewing device 6 are preferably integrated into acommon housing or on a common carrier, this housing or this carrierbeing preferably designed such that it can be put on by the user like apair of conventional spectacles. Further components, such as amicrophone and/or headphones, respectively hearing aids, and inparticular also the radio device interface 21 can likewise be installedon this common carrier.

A virtual retinal display device (VRD), which can project image signalsdirectly onto the retina of a viewer has been described, for example, inthe patent applications WO 94/09472 and WO 97/37339 and in theabove-mentioned patent application WO 98/13720. Via a video datainterface, these virtual retinal display devices can be supplied withvideo data, for example in the form of an RGB signal, an NTSC signal, aVGA signal or another formatted color or monochrome video or graphicsignal. One skilled in the art will understand that it can beadvantageous to adapt the virtual retinal display device described inthe mentioned patent publications WO 94/09472 and WO 97/37339, orrespectively the video data interface described there, in such a waythat it is also able to receive efficiently other formats of picturesignals, depending upon the video sensors use. By means of an interfacemodule (not shown), received picture data can also be suitably adaptedto the video interface, however, or respectively received picture datacan be converted such that they are able to be applied to the videointerface and made visible to the user by means of the virtual retinaldisplay unit 62.

As is shown schematically in FIG. 1, the viewing device 6 comprises aneye position determining unit 65 which determines the current eyepositions of the user when viewing pictures and can transmit them viathe radio device interface 21 to the control unit 2. An eye positiondetermining unit (eye tracker) which determines the current eyepositions based on the position of the pupil of a user has also beendescribed in the above-mentioned patent application WO 94/09472, and canbe extended by one skilled in the art in such a way that the determinedeye position can be transmitted via the radio device interface 21 to thecontrol unit 2; depending upon embodiment, values for both eyes can bemade available.

It should be stated here moreover that determined eye positions, forinstance in the control unit 2, in addition with determined headposition, or respectively head movement, which are captured e.g. by thebody part position determining unit 81 with respect to the horizontaland vertical plane as horizontal and vertical head angle of rotation,can be combined in order to determine the actual direction of view ofthe user.

Together with the eye position determining unit 65, the seeing device 6can be used as a graphic user interface, which can be controlled by theuser through positioning his eyes in that, via the virtual retinaldisplay device 62, the control unit 2 projects GUI objects (GraphicalUser Interface) in picture regions onto the retina of the user, forinstance so-called control icons corresponding to predefined eyeposition values, and is able to receive commands entered by the user bymeans of eye positioning through comparison of current eye positionswith predefined eye position values (in the command unit 24).

The above-mentioned hearing aid 7 comprises a microphone 71 which isconnected via a signal processing unit 73 to an electro-acousticalconverter 72, for example headphones. The signal processing unit 73processes electrical signals received from the microphone 73, orrespectively data corresponding to these signals, based on user-specifichearing parameters stored in the data store 74.

Although this has not been shown in FIG. 1, it should be mentioned herethat the user can also communicate with other devices via the controlunit 2, or respectively control these devices, which are each providedwith a radio device interface, for example fixed-installedcommunications terminals and/or personal computers which e.g. areconnected to a communication network, in particular the Internet. It isalso possible for the user to access the Internet also in a mobile wayvia the control unit 2, for instance via WAP (Wireless ApplicationProtocol), which is executed in the control unit 2 or in one of themodules, for instance in the mobile radio device 5.

It should be explicitly mentioned here that the control unit 2 hasvarious program units to support file formats, data transmissionprotocols and compression/decompression methods, in particular from themultimedia area, for instance MPEG-Standards (Moving Picture ExpertGroup), and in particular also convert them mutually, so that signalemitting and signal receiving modules with differing file formats, datatransmission protocols and compression/decompression methods can beconnected to one another via the routing unit 26. To prevent overloadsthrough simultaneous data input from different signal emitting modules,the control unit can also be provided with additional data bufferstores.

The communication system 1 according to the invention based on thecontrol unit 2 according to the invention makes it possible for the userto add different components to the communication system 1, in particulardifferent signal receiving and signal emitting modules, or respectivelyremove them from the communication system 1, and to connect them to oneanother in a configurable way via the control unit 2. The user can alsoconfigure different signal receiving modules, or respectively signalemitting modules, as input or respectively output modules for userinterfaces and control the most various external devices via these userinterfaces. The configuration can also take place through command inputvia these user interfaces. Predefined configurations can also be loadedinto the control unit, for instance via the communication network orstored on data carriers. At the same time different configurations canbe stored in the control unit 2 which can be activated by the user viathe user interface. The control unit 2 can also be configured by theuser, for example in that different processing units 270-275, differentfunction units 241-242, different configuration tables 232, differentmodule tables 231 and/or different command units 24 are loaded into thecontrol unit.

Configurations which can be carried out by the user via the control unit2 can also be carried out of course by correspondingly trained andauthorized specialized personnel, for example on site at a service pointor remotely via a telecommunications link.

Finally, it should be mentioned here that the communication system 1 canalso comprise a plurality of control units 2, one of these control units2 being able to be configured as coordinated master unit, and moduleparameters and/or configuration parameters being able to be stored in adistributed way and/or replicated on all participating control units 2.

List of Reference Numerals  1 communication system  2 control unit  3DAB radio receiver  4 DVB radio receiver  5 mobile radio device  6seeing device  7 hearing device  21 radio device interface  22registration unit  23 removable memory unit  24 command unit  25infrared transceiver  26 routing unit  28, 29 external unit  31 datastore  34 DAB radio transmitter  41 data store  44 DVB radio transmitter 51 radio receiver for mobile radio networks  52 radio transmitter formobile radio networks  53 identification unit  54 mobile radio network 55 service unit  61 video sensor  62 display unit  63 signal processingunit  64 data store  65 eye position determining unit  71 microphone  72electro-acoustical converter  73 signal processing unit  74 data store 81 body part position determining unit  82 pressure sensor  83microphone  84 video sensor  91 vibration unit  92 electro-acousticalconverter  93 display unit 231 module table 232 configuration table 241,242 functional block 270 speech synthesis unit 271 speech recognitionunit 272 picture processing unit 273 data filter 274 signal frequencyfilter 275 signal frequency transformation unit

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication system configured to be carriedby a user without using hands, comprising: one or more signal receivingmodules that each receive signals from surroundings of the communicationsystem and convert received signals into digital data; and one or moresignal emitting modules that each convert digital data into signalsconfigured to be emitted into the surroundings of the communicationsystem and at least certain of the signals are perceivable by the userthrough sense organs, the modules each having a device radio interface;a control unit with a device radio interface by which radio deviceinterface data from the modules are receivable in the control unit andby which radio device interface data are transmittable by the controlunit selectively to the modules, the control unit comprisingregistration means to automatically register, or respectivelyderegister, said modules that have been dynamically added to, orrespectively removed from, the communication system by the user, whereinthe control unit further comprises a store in which a configurationtable is stored in which selection of at least certain signal receivingmodules as data sources and assignment of at least certain signalemitting modules as data sinks for certain signal receiving modules areconfigurable, the control unit further comprises means for forwardingdata received from a particular signal receiving module according toindications in the configuration table to a signal emitting moduleassigned to the particular signal receiving module.
 2. The communicationsystem according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further comprisesfunctional units to process data before transmission of the data to asignal emitting module, at least one of activation, deactivation, andway of functioning of at least certain of the functional units beingconfigurable.
 3. The communication system according to claim 2, whereinthe functional units comprise a speech synthesis unit for generation ofsynthesized speech from textual data, a language recognition unit forrecognition of spoken text, an image processing unit for recognition ofpicture objects, user-specific data filters, and at least one of signalfrequency filters and signal frequency transformation units.
 4. Thecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein the control unitfurther comprises a command unit to recognize as commands data receivedby the control unit from a signal receiving module and to initiateexecution of predefined function blocks in accordance with a recognizedcommand, the control unit being configured such that signal receivingmodules whose data is supposed to be examined by the command unit forcommands contained therein are definable.
 5. The communication systemaccording to claim 4, wherein at least one of the functional blocks isconfigured such that a recognized command is configured to be forwardedto external units outside the communication system by at least one ofthe radio device interface and an infrared interface.
 6. Thecommunication system according to claim 1, further comprising aremovable memory unit, and wherein at least certain of the signalemitting modules stored in the removable memory unit are at least one ofmodule parameters, which influence operation of individual of themodules, and configuration parameters, which at least one of determineinteraction between the modules and identify signal receiving moduleswhose data is supposed to be examined by a command unit for commandscontained therein.
 7. The communication system according to claim 1,wherein at least certain of the modules comprise data stores for storingmodule parameters, which module parameters influence operation of therespective module, the data stores being accessible to the control unitby the radio device interface.
 8. The communication system according toclaim 1, wherein the signal receiving modules comprise a video sensorfor receiving light signals, a radio receiver for receiving radiosignals, an infrared receiver for receiving infrared signals, amicrophone for receiving acoustical signals, a pressure sensor forreceiving mechanical pressure, and at least one of an eye positiondetermining unit for determining a current direction of view of at leastone eye of the user and one or more body part position determining unitsfor determining a current position of parts of the body of the user. 9.The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the radioreceiver is configured to receive radio signals from mobile radionetworks, in particular GSM and/or UMTS networks, and/or broadcastsystems, in particular DAB and/or DVB systems.
 10. The communicationsystem according to claim 8, wherein the video sensor comprises at leastone microelectronic scanner for capturing light signals.
 11. Thecommunication system according to claim 1, wherein the signal emittingmodules comprise a display unit for visible reproduction of informationfor the user, an electro-acoustical converter for reproduction ofinformation in audible form for the user, a vibration unit display ofpredefined events for the user by mechanical vibrations, and at leastone of a radio transmitter and an infrared transmitter.
 12. Thecommunication system according to claim 11, wherein the display unitcomprises a virtual display unit to project light signals directly ontoa retina of the user.
 13. The communication system according to claim12, wherein the radio transmitter is configured for communication bymobile radio networks, in particular GSM and/or UMTS networks.
 14. Thecommunication system according to claim 1, further comprising at leastone signal transformation module in which a signal receiving module anda signal emitting module are connected to one another by a signalprocessing unit, the signal processing unit processingelectrical/optical signals from the signal receiving module based onmodule parameters of the signal transformation module and forwarding theelectrical/optical signals to the signal emitting module.
 15. Thecommunication system according to claim 14, wherein the signaltransformation module includes a hearing aid and the module parametersinclude user-specific hearing parameters.
 16. The communication systemaccording to claim 14, wherein the signal transformation module includesa seeing aid and the module parameters include user-specific seeingparameters.
 17. A control unit for a communication system, whichcommunication system and which control unit are carried by a userwithout using hands, which communication system comprises one or moresignal receiving modules that each receive signals from surroundings ofthe communication system and convert received signals intoelectrical/optical signals and digital data, and which communicationsystem comprises one or more signal emitting modules that each convertdigital data into signals configured to be emitted into the surroundingsof the communication system and of which at least certain of the signalsare perceivable by the user through sense organs, the control unitcomprising at least one device radio interface, and the control unitfurther comprising registration means to automatically register, orrespectively deregister, modules that have been dynamically added to, orrespectively removed from, the communication system by the user, whereinthe control unit further comprises a store in which a configurationtable is stored in which selection of at least certain signal receivingmodules as data sources and assignment of at least certain signalemitting modules as data sinks for certain signal receiving modules areconfigurable, and the control unit further comprises means forforwarding data received from a particular signal receiving modulesaccording to indications in the configuration table to a signal emittingmodule assigned to the particular signal receiving module.
 18. Thecontrol unit according to claim 17, further comprising functional unitsto process data before transmission of the data to a signal emittingmodule, at least one of activation, deactivation, and way of functioningof at least certain functional units being configurable.
 19. The controlunit according to claim 18, wherein the functional units comprise aspeech synthesis unit for generating synthesized speech from textualdata, a language recognition unit for recognizing spoken text, an imageprocessing unit for recognizing picture objects, user-specific datafilters, and at least one of signal frequency filters and signalfrequency transformation units.
 20. The control unit according to claim17, further comprising a command unit to recognize as commands datareceived by the control unit from a signal receiving module and toinitiate execution of predefined function blocks in accordance with arecognized command, the control unit being set up such that signalreceiving modules whose data is supposed to be examined by the commandunit commands contained therein are definable.
 21. The control unitaccording to claim 20, wherein at least one of the functional blocks isconfigured such that a recognized command is configured to be forwardedto external units outside the communication system by at least one ofthe radio device interface and by an infrared interface.
 22. The controlunit according to claim 17, further comprising a removable memory unitconfigured to store at least one of module parameters, which influenceoperation of individual of the modules, and configuration parameters,which determine at least one of interaction between the modules andidentify signal receiving modules whose data is supposed to be examinedby a command unit for commands contained therein.
 23. The control unitaccording to claim 22, wherein the removable memory unit comprises meansfor unambiguous user identification.